Kremlin says no plans for a Putin-Trump call as US mediators continue contacts
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says there are currently no plans for a Putin-Trump call, while US mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner maintain talks with Moscow and Kyiv.
The Kremlin on Tuesday said there are no immediate plans for a Putin-Trump call, after confirming that US private envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner continue to hold communications with both Russia and Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the informal mediation process remains paused but that officials in Washington are still engaging through established channels. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described recent conversations with the US mediators as “positive,” though the Kremlin said it had not been notified by the United States about that specific call. The comments underscore the fragile and ad hoc nature of current diplomatic efforts over the conflict in Ukraine.
Kremlin statement on a direct Russia-US leader call
Dmitry Peskov told journalists there is no scheduled phone call between President Vladimir Putin and former US President Donald Trump, stressing that Moscow has not received a formal invitation or timing for such a conversation.
Peskov reiterated that while contacts with US interlocutors are ongoing, a direct presidential exchange is not planned at this time. He also said Russia would be open to receiving the US mediators in Moscow “at any time,” reflecting a willingness to keep informal channels available.
Status of US mediators’ contacts with Moscow and Kyiv
The Kremlin confirmed that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner continue to communicate with Russian and Ukrainian officials, despite a suspension of broader mediation efforts in February.
Those contacts are taking place through existing diplomatic and unofficial channels, according to Peskov, and Moscow said discussions had been ongoing with both the mediators and Ukrainian counterparts. The characterization suggests talks remain exploratory rather than part of a structured negotiation process.
Zelenskiy describes talks with mediators as ‘positive’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday described his conversation with Witkoff and Kushner as constructive and said the envoys expressed readiness to work toward a resolution in the coming weeks.
Moscow, however, said it had not been informed by Washington about that particular call, pointing to discrepancies in how each side is reporting the scope and coordination of mediation efforts. That divergence highlights the uneven flow of information between capitals and intermediaries involved in any potential peace initiative.
Mediation paused after February events, Kremlin says
Peskov said the broader mediation process regarding Ukraine has been “suspended” since February, a pause he linked to recent military developments involving the United States and Israel and their operations against Iran.
He argued that European-led mediation is currently “unacceptable” to Moscow, saying that European actors have prioritized prolonging the conflict over facilitating talks. The Kremlin’s stance signals caution toward third-party initiatives that Moscow views as conditioned or biased.
Moscow’s view on European involvement and prerequisites
The Kremlin spokesman warned that mediation efforts premised on preconditions for Russia would be counterproductive and likely doomed to fail.
Peskov asserted that beginning mediating talks by imposing terms on Russia is neither logical nor appropriate, and he suggested that European countries are more focused on sustaining the conflict than negotiating peace. Those comments indicate Moscow’s insistence on equality and no pre-imposed parameters for any future negotiations.
Diplomatic implications for the Ukraine conflict and regional tensions
The absence of a scheduled Putin-Trump call and the Kremlin’s critique of European mediation complicate prospects for rapid conflict de-escalation.
Informal diplomacy by private US envoys may keep lines of communication open, but without a clear, coordinated framework that includes Moscow, Kyiv and major international stakeholders, progress is likely to be slow. The differing public accounts from Kyiv, Moscow and Washington underscore the challenge of translating discrete conversations into a verified, multilateral process.
Private envoys such as Witkoff and Kushner can serve as preliminary interlocutors, yet their effectiveness depends on transparency and buy-in from official governments. Until those conditions are met, the risk remains that ad hoc exchanges will produce headlines without yielding concrete breakthroughs.
The silence on a Putin-Trump call and the Kremlin’s reservations about third-party mediation underscore the fragile state of diplomacy on Ukraine, leaving regional and global actors to weigh next steps carefully.